Page 50 - HUB-4 Magazine Issue 84

Quarrying News
Newcastle Sand Increases
Production with McLanahan
Sand Washing Plant
Newcastle Sand is a mining operation located in Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia, that is currently extracting dune sand and processing it for the construction materials market. The company supplies some of the largest concrete producers in the Hunter Valley with construction-grade sands, including white silica sand, washed sand and concrete sand.
Challenge
When Newcastle Sand commenced operations in 2019, the company opted to dry wash its sand products with an air separator. However, rainy days would put a damper on the dry process, so Newcastle Sand purchased a small-scale wash plant consisting of a small screw washer.
In 2020, Newcastle Sand experienced an increase in demand for washed sand. The company supplemented its small screw washer by adding a higher-volume wash plant to increase production.
But even with the two wash plants, the smaller one and the higher-volume plant, Newcastle Sand was still struggling to meet the demand for washed sand.
“We sought to find a screw washer that could increase our production to keep up with the current market demand,” said Quarry Manager Eliott Laver.
“They worked with us to solve a problem,” he said. “They really just gave us confidence that this size plant was going to do what we needed it to do.”
Towndrow said he was “exceptionally happy” with McLanahan throughout the sales and commissioning process.
“They’ve worked with us, not against us, and that’s probably the biggest strength that we’ve had,” said Towndrow. “They just haven’t given us a plant and said, ‘Here you go, good luck,’ they’ve been with us to make sure that this thing works.”
The McLanahan Fine Material Screw Washer washes, classifies and dewaters Newcastle Sand’s washed sand product, while the UltraDRY Dewatering Screen removes excess moisture from the final product. An integrated Sump underneath the UltraDRY Dewatering Screen captures the water that is removed from the sand product and recirculates it back to the Screw Washer via a Pump to aid in the washing process.
Results
Since installing the McLanahan wash plant, Newcastle Sand has more than doubled its production.
“That allows us to produce more quality washed sand product,” Laver said.
With the UltraDRY Dewatering Screen reducing the moisture content of the final product, Laver said Newcastle Sand is able to sell the product straight from the belt, minimizing stockpile requirements.
Solution
Laver had a previous relationship with Lincom, McLanahan’s dealer for aggregate wet processing equipment in Australia, prior to joining the Newcastle Sand team. Working with Lincom and McLanahan, Newcastle Sand installed a McLanahan Fine Material Double Screw Washer and UltraDRY Modular Dewatering Screen.
“We assessed all the options in the market, and we chose McLanahan based on the ability for McLanahan to work with us to give us the confidence that this product, this machine, is going to do the output required,” said Murray Towndrow, one of the owners of Newcastle Sand.
Towndrow added that the sales process was very collaborative, with all parties providing information and feedback to ensure the right wash plant was chosen to handle Newcastle Sand’s product demands.
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www.hub-4.com Jan/Feb - Issue 84